Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-13
STREET CAR STRIKE.
The Men Refuse to Sign a Con.
tract and OMIT Work.

Hundreds of people stood on the
street corners of the suburbs of the
city, early yesterday morning and
wondered as the minutes rolled by
why the cars of the City and Central
Railroad Company failed to appear.
An investigation proved that the car
men had followed the example of
their San Francisco brethren, and be-
cause they had troubles of real or an
imaginary nature had gone out ON
"strike."
Some time ago the company real
lied that it was being put to a large
expense monthly for repairs to its cars
which was ascribed to the carelessness
of the employees. The directors
thought over the matter for some time
and finally had a contract drawn up,
which in their estimation would settle
the matter. A few days ago contract
was handed to each of the employees
with request that it be signed. The
instrument created panic in the
ranks of brake wielders. They
brooded over the matter for several
days and finally took exception to the
following clauses:
"It is distinctly understood by the
said employe, that the object of this
contract is to protect the said Los An
geles Cable Railway Company from
loss Of any kind, whether through in
jury to its own property or business, or
through claims for damages by third
parties, for which the said company
may be or become liable through, or
by reason of, any malice, neglect, care
lessness, unskillfulness or dereliction
of duty ON his part, either in violation
of the rules and orders of the company
or otherwise; and he hereby agrees
that he will become responsible for,
and will pay to the company, any
damages or loss that may occur
through any of such causes; and hav-
ing deposited with said company the
sum of twenty-five dollars-the receipt
whereof is hereby ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
said employe further agrees, that if
the said amount, or any portion there
of, or any wages which may be or be-
come due, shall be required for the
purpose of meeting any claim or
claims for which he may become lia-
BILE under the contract, then, and in
that event, the said company shall be,
and it is hereby authorized and in
structed to take out of such wages as
may be or become due, and out of said
deposit (if the amount of wages due be
not sufficiently, whatever amount is
required to meet such demand, and to
apply the same toward the liquidation
OF such claim or claims"
Yesterday morning the men held
meeting and decided to forfeit their
situations rather than sign what they
believed to be an unjust demand.
The company was left in the lurch,
but by o'clock it managed to secure
nnmber Of inexperienced men, and
succeeded in running one-half of the
cars. The strikers hung around the
office and barns all day, but conducted
themselves in very orderly manner.
Last evening, however, the Sixth
street hands encountered stones
strewn all along the track. They
were removed, and the object of de-
railing the cars fell through. Mr.. j.
M. Syme. Superintendent of the lines,
said last evening that although the
contracts were given to the men, they
had not been compelled to sign them.
He said that the company is perfectly
willing to take the men back, and he
stated that he expects many of them
will take their cars out this morning
as though nothing had happened.